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Design Dilemma Paint Home Decorating

Design dilemma: please help choose wall color!

2 years ago

Hello! We are getting ready to update paint colors in our home, and I’d love some input... husband is tired of looking at paint colors with me 😆😉

Our kitchen cabinets are currently a golden/orange maple, and our countertops are Venetian gold granite. We’d like to paint the cabinets and trim in Sherwin Williams Alabaster. It has enough warmth to work with the granite without looking too stark, but is still light enough to not look like a heavier, creamier color. Where we need help is the wall color. I am debating between (all Sherwin Williams): Ivory Lace, Neutral Ground, and 75% Neutral Ground + 25% Alabaster. We want just a slight contrast between the cabinets/trim and the walls. Please help!

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Comments (9)

Susan Davis
2 years ago
find a color that matches the cabinets exactly and go two shades lighter or darker on the paint chip gradations....or select the lightest color in your counter material and paint the walls that light color.....suggestion only!
calidesign
2 years ago
I would choose the wall color you like first. You could use the same color in a different sheen, or a lighter version of the same color. Alabaster and Nuetral Ground can work well together, but maybe you would want the lighter color for the walls and the darker on the cabinets. Post some photos- it depends on your space.
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Comments (20)
This is what I would do. Run out to a lowes (carries SW colors) or a SW store. Grab the large sample booklets -or- if at an SW store, they let you borrow a whole color wheel. Take yer samples and yer chips and visit the actual room, hopefully with the actual windows installed. Lay them out. Take that color wheel and fan it out or open up the booklets. You could have a gray symphony but you could also have something a bit warmer or cooler or just add color. It depends on what you like, not what I like. People can't comment too much on colors here because the photos change the original colors and then each person's monitor changes it again. Like the tile comments, but I like the mosaic. I might borrow a sample a little less strong if it's made, just to check. But I would do an entire wall with it if the budget fit because it's interesting and the blue tile is kinda blah and on my monitor doesn't make the other samples look good. None of that is advice because I'm not there and therefor have no idea if what I'm looking at is real. But here are some palettes from someone who might https://www.rughdesign.com/color-wheel/ellie-gray/ Try flipping to some of those colors and see what you think. I am working on repainting my kitchen. I'm gotten chips 3 times so far. The background here is pavilion gray (FB). It is being replaced by Honeydew. My choices represent something a little more colorful than what I have and are to not startle when moving from adjacent rooms. The windows face south-southwest, so anything warm becomes too warm in average daylight. I move the tree around in the room to see it in all of the light. In working with light colors, in a room with a lot of light, what looks different in a store can change in this room to looking about the same. And these colors are only in the neighborhood of what these chips look like in this photo.
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sarahkesler
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks for weighing in. Here are some photos of the space. We get direct morning light, and that’s when the photos were taken. So, the lighting isn’t great, but it will provide context. I was considering using the same color in a different sheen, so I’ll give that more thought!
calidesign
2 years ago
I would keep your maple cabinets and just change the back splash to a warm white/cream tile.
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I think alabaster or Cloud White would be a nice choice for the cabs. pick out some nice handles for the hardware.

Maybe paint the island in Wrought Iron or Iron ORe

or, look at this combo

why don't you wait until the cabs are done and see how it looks before deciding on a paint color?

if you want a gray, use a warmer gray, not a blue gray.
sarahkesler
Original Author
2 years ago
Beth, thank you! All great suggestions!! We debated between cloud white and alabaster for the cabinets, so I must be on the right track. As far as hardware, yes! We’ve got silver bar pulls chosen, not too different from the photo you shared. Love the kitchen you shared! Very timeless/classic, which is what we’re going for. I think your advice confirms we are doing okay so far... perhaps we will live with the new cabinet color before choosing wall color. Thanks for including ivory lace in your image...that’s what I’m leaning toward for walls right now. 😉
PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
sounds like you're on the right track.

have you found a reputable cabinet painter?

how does he prime?

is he spraying everything back at his shop?

(I just had mine sprayed last year and love, love them. they used a lacquer spray and did all the necessary sanding, priming and sanding steps)

BTW, you may want to upgrade that sink. maybe single bowl (a granite fabricator could fit that for you w/o harming the countertop.

or even a drop in farm house. (Kohler Whitehaven)

33x32" wayfair
sarahkesler
Original Author
2 years ago
Yes, we’ve got a reputable painter. He is very thorough with the prep work/priming and takes everything to his facility. He will be doing both painting projects.
H D
3 months ago
sarahkesler— curios if you ended up going with Ivory Lace on your walls? If so, would love to hear how you like it!

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